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"It's certainly disheartening," Mike Sherman said. "I'm still struggling over this one. That was a heartbreaker. I'd rather get my butt kicked than to lose like that."

Both losses - at Baylor five years ago and at Colorado on Saturday - occurred with three regular-season games remaining for each coach in his second season.

And while Sherman and his predecessor, Franchione, are two vastly different men with varying approaches to leading the Aggies, the two have followed a remarkably similar path to this point in their A&M tenures: Starting with 4-8 first years followed by semi-redemptive seasons (at least so far for Sherman) - including exasperating 35-34 losses.

Leading to the question: Does Texas A&M have another Fran on its hands?

The Aggies hope not, considering Franchione wound up 19-21 against the Big 12 over five seasons. A secret newsletter scandal didn't help Franchione's cause two years ago, but he was fired following the 2007 season primarily for manufacturing mediocrity over half a decade.

While Franchione was 10-10 over his first 20 games at A&M and Sherman was 9-11 in the same span, a Sherman ally could argue that he inherited a much more destitute outfit than Franchione.

Franchione took over a durable program from R.C. Slocum that hadn't suffered a losing season since 1982 - the first year for Slocum's predecessor, Jackie Sherrill. Franchione's Aggies endured two losing seasons (4-8 in 2003 and 5-6 in 2005) over his five years, shoving the program in the opposite direction A&M honchos had hoped for when tabbing him to replace the deposed Slocum, who never had a losing season over 14 years - or a top 5 finish.

Enter Sherman, a former Slocum assistant and one-time head coach of the Green Bay Packers, who has vowed the Aggies will win championships - adding that he can't say when.

Five years ago in his second season, Franchione appeared to have the Aggies pointed in the right direction following a double-digit victory at a ranked Oklahoma State team in the season's sixth game. A&M finished that year 7-5, with a 38-7 loss to Tennessee in the Cotton Bowl.

This year, Sherman earned his signature victory to date with a double-digit triumph at a ranked Texas Tech in the season's seventh game. Both coaches beat Mike Leach's Red Raiders in their second seasons - A&M's only two wins over Tech in the last nine years.

Will the Franchione-Sherman similarities continue? Aggies hope not, of course, considering Franchione left A&M with a losing league record.

As for Sherman? He offered a reality check on Monday - a rarity from the oft-guarded Franchione.

"Reality is we are not 7-2, we're 5-4," Sherman said in discussing a couple of close losses. "That's the reality."

A reality looking much like his predecessor's through nearly two seasons.